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Here’s a million-dollar question: how do you get people to do what you want them to? It isn’t enough to just dump words out into the universe and hope that does something. Whether you’re putting together a website, sending out an email, posting on social media or drafting up a blog, you want to drive people toward a specific action. What that action is depends on your industry (“buy now!” “download this form!” “call me!”), but it needs to do something. That’s where Calls-to-Action (CTAs) come in. You see dozens of them every day, even if you don’t realize it.
A good CTA inspires action. But what makes a good CTA?
Be Clear on the Value
People want to know what they’re getting into. This seems obvious, but it’s often overlooked. When writing your CTAs, you need to go beyond “click here.” It’s time to get a little psychological and look at the reasons why someone would need your service. If you’re selling drill bits, you’re not really selling drill bits, you’re selling holes. Look for the holes that your business fills.
Look at the five most persuasive words in the English language, as identified by Buffer:
- You
- Free
- Because
- Instantly
- New
All of these words cut to the why of what makes people click. Start by figuring out what your customers want, then mix-and-match these words to reach them.
Keep it Real
You should always A/B test your CTAs to track ROI and chart conversions. Yawn. I can see your eyes glazing over. When you’re trying to inspire a visitor to take action, you want to ditch the jargon and speak to them on their level. Personal attachment does wonders for selling – even in the business-to-business world where bottom-line is key, 71% of buyers who see a personal value will purchase a product.
And don’t be afraid to get silly or creative.
Pretty it Up
Ever wonder why there are so many buttons on websites? There’s a reason for that. As much as we like to think we’ve evolved, our brain is still drawn to shiny, sparkly objects. A Marketing Experiments study found that simply changing the color of your CTA can increase action by a whopping 64%.
Placement is also key – we talk about “the fold” a lot in online marketing. Like a newspaper, the most important information should be right up front. What do visitors see before they scroll down? Popping your CTA at the top of the page increases clicks up to 20%.
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Click click click
Are your customers all scroll and no click? Your website and online marketing may be to blame. We can help you turn it around.
